One More Time
by Open Casket Ceremony
Summary: Years after the end of the war, Ichigo goes back to Soul Society to find that everything and everyone has changed, including Hitsugaya...or has he? IchiHitsu, oneshot.


Author's Note: Okay, sorry I haven't been updating my regulars, but lately I've been more into one-shots. I AM AFRAID OF FIC-COMMITMENT. Haha. Anyway, I'm not sure what gave me the idea for this one. I guess I was suddenly thinking about what Bleach would be like way after the present time. Not like, way after so that a whole new generation is there, but more like...so that everyone's older. Also, there may be some errors in chronology in this one. I also found it to be kind of weak at the ending. Anyways, enjoy? Read and review as usual, please? Thanks!

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**One More Time**

**by Open Casket Ceremony**

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Many years had passed.

Time goes by very quickly once you lose track of it. That was something Kurosaki Ichigo knew very well, and he had experienced this cliched saying to its maximum. Things had changed, there was no doubt to that. Not to an extreme, but still, this was not the Soul Society he had known as a cocky teenager just entering the substitute shinigami business.

Ichigo himself was not quite the same either.

He had seen people he loved come and go. He had seen death and destruction. He had seen Soul Society at its best and worst. And he himself was no longer a just a teenager, but rather, a young man about to reach adulthood, both mentally and physically.

He was taller, stronger, and smarter.

Since the war's end, however, a period of peace had come to Soul Society. Ichigo hadn't been needed around quite as much as he had before. And besides, he had a life to live. He finished high school, went on to college, graduated, got his degree, and was ready to go out into the world and show everyone what he was made of.

Although, he had to admit, he was still quite single.

Most kids his age, his friends since high school, had boyfriends and girlfriends. Perhaps they would even get married soon.

Ichigo, on the other hand, wasn't so sure. There was only one person that had ever captured his interest enough so that he could have called those feelings he had about this significant other "love." And this was a person, rather, a soul reaper, that he had not seen in years, since the winter war had come to its conclusion.

But change is not a dynamic thing that happens overnight.

The lineup of the Gotei 13 was still pretty much the same. All the captains were still in their appointed spots. The vice-captains from the squads with captains that had defected, that is, the third, fifth, and ninth, had been promoted and took their former superior's places.

Some who had worn the sleeveless haori before now wore the full sleeves, showing they were now seasoned, senior captains.

The war had dragged on for quite some time.

A little too long for most of the Soul Reapers.

They had all experienced losses. Comrades, subordinates, and superiors had been snatched away by the hands of death. People they had grown up with, eaten off the same plates with, fought side-by-side with...were gone. They had seen slaughter unlike anything else. It wasn't like one of those war movies where comrades died in honor and glory. There was no glory in war. They had died pathetically and cruelly.

They had returned home from the battlefields not as heroes, but as changed men and women.

A piece of each and every one of them was gone, never to be replaced.

Soul Society, obviously, was not the same.

But still, Ichigo found himself compelled one day to return again and see what had become of the friends that had been like brothers and sisters to him from that realm. And he longed to see a certain someone else, who his heart had been aching for this whole time had been away in the real world.

One warm summer evening, he decided he would do it.

This was a life he had left behind many years ago. But he had to return to it, just one more time.

It had been weird, going to Urahara's shop after all these years. He was a little suprised to see that the man hadn't aged much, but was pleased that he was still willing as ever to get Ichigo a path to the Soul Society.

And it felt even weirder to have that large sword on his back again, as well as the familiar, black kimono he had grown accustomed to back in those days. Now it felt strange and alien to him.

It didn't take him long to enter the Seireitei. He saw familiar faces everywhere he went. Faces that he recognized, but were somehow different. More tired, older, more sophisticated.

Before long, he found himself recognizing two of his dearest friends from that time.

"Rukia! Renji!"

He didn't realize how much he had missed this place. He was so overcome with nostalgia that he held on to each of them for minutes each, not daring to believe these were the same Rukia and Renji he had befriended so many years ago.

Renji, much like Ichigo, was taller, and looked stronger. Rukia hadn't grown much, but she was prettier than he remembered her being last.

Back then she had been a scrawny girl. Now, she appeared to be a strong young woman.

"It's been so long, Ichigo!"

"I thought you'd never come back here again...How've you been?"

"I've missed both of you so much."

He stayed with them for a while, talking about school, about life. About how he had almost forgotten about his work as a substitute shinigami, and how he had suddenly had the urge to return, just for old time's sake.

But Rukia and Renji were not the same, besides the obvious fact that they had grown. They were different. Their eyes were dull, they looked tired and pale. Ichigo was quick to correctly assume it was due to the long-term effects of the war. Neither of them would ever be the same.

"Anyway," the strawberry finally spoke, "I'll catch up with you guys later. There's someone I want to see."

Both soul reapers gave Ichigo mischevious, knowing looks. Both of them knew exactly who this was that he wanted to see so badly.

And so, with a wave and a promise to chat with them some more afterwards, Ichigo headed off. It had been a long time since he had last been inside the Seireitei, but his memory was good and he knew it as well as ever.

He still knew exactly how to get to the tenth division's grounds.

It didn't take him long to get there.

And it also didn't take him long to run head-first into what was back then and still today, the biggest pair of breasts he had ever seen in his entire life.

"Rangiku-san!?"

The tenth-division vice captain turned around as if she hadn't noticed the former substitute shinigami. Since the war, Ichigo noted that the previously long, waist-length, flowing strawberry blonde locks that belonged to the woman were no longer there - her hair had been cut at the shoulder so that it was much shorter. Some of her youth from those days were no longer there, but instead, a mature, seasoned type of beauty. She was a full-fledged adult now, and wane gray eyes showed tragic stories of war time.

"Ichigo-kun!" she exclaimed, a grin now on her lips. "Haven't seen _you_ here in a while! How's it been?"

"Oh, it's been great," Ichigo answered. Then, he noticed something he hadn't before - Matsumoto's stomach was full and round. He blinked for a moment before realizing why. She was pregnant.

"Baby on the way?" he asked.

"Yeah," she beamed, "A boy."

"And who's the lucky dad?"

It was quiet for a moment before Matsumoto finally answered in a softer voice, "Gin."

Ichigo nodded slowly. "And...is he...?"

"Banished from this dimension for the crimes he committed against Soul Society," she answered as if it was no big deal, "But that's okay! He's somewhere in the real world now, I think...but we still keep in touch. The sotaichou said when I have my baby...it'll be okay for him to come back up here, just for a little bit to see his new son."

"That's good," the strawberry answered, genuinely happy for the busty vice-captain, "I'm glad to hear it."

"Yep," Matsumoto smiled. She paused, before a moment later, her eyes lit up. "You've come to see taichou, haven't you?"

"How'd you guess?"

"What else would you be doing here?" she grinned, motioning at the building behind her. "He's in his office right now. He'll be really happy to see you, I bet."

Nodding, Ichigo headed towards the door. "See you later, Rangiku-san."

He didn't expect it'd be this hard just to open one door.

But it had been so long. Did Hitsugaya Toshiro even remember him? He had told the petite captain many years ago he had loved him. There had been a spark between them in those days, but that spark had faded by now. They had been apart from each other too long. It would never be the same between them again, that he knew.

Slowly, his heart pounding, he slid open the door.

It was quiet inside, just as he remembered it. The floors were clean, the furniture was arranged in still the same way it had been many years ago. And the same, familiar oak administrative desk was still in place. He looked up, and, just as he remembered, the same soul reaper was behind this desk.

Ichigo felt his heart stop for a moment as Hitsugaya Toshiro looked up as well, their eyes meeting.

"...Kuro...Kurosaki?"

Hitsugaya was no longer a child, no longer a boy. He was an older teenager now, not quite an adult, but he would be in a matter of years. The silvery-white hair was still tufty and looked softer than silk. It was a little longer, but not by much. His face was healthier-looking than Ichigo had last seen it, and those eyes. Those beautiful, emerald eyes were just as gorgeous as they were many years ago, if not more. As expected, he hadn't grown much taller, but he was thin and lean, still youthful, and the once pretty face was now beyond beautiful. Only he still glowed in a world of people damaged and dulled by war.

"Toshiro..."

Ichigo could barely breathe.

He then noticed a child sitting on the floor. A round, pretty little boy no more than three years of age with wide, brown eyes, fair skin, and tufts of blonde hair.

Ichigo felt a slight pang in his chest as he saw the child. He cleared his throat.

"Is he...yours?"

Hitsugaya stared wordlessly at Ichigo for a moment, kneeling to take the child carefully in his arms.

"No," he answered quietly, "Hinamori and Kira's."

"Oh..."

"They got married," Hitsugaya explained, "And they're away on business in the real world at the moment. I'm only taking care of their son until they come back, which won't be for another few days."

There was a long and uncomfortable silence.

"What else have I missed?" Ichigo asked with an awkward laugh, "It's been so long."

"The sotaichou's retiring soon," Hitsugaya nodded absently, "Rumor has it either Ukitake or Kyoraku will take his place. And...And Abarai and Kuchiki are engaged..."

"They are?" the strawberry asked increduously, "I thought so, Renji and Rukia would make a good pair. Anyone else?"

"Well," the young captain continued, thinking for a moment, "Unohana-taichou and Ukitake-taichou got married a while ago."

Ichigo noticed that Hitsugaya was referring to captains by their titles now. He hadn't before. He was different now, more mature, more respectful.

"...And Kurotsuchi-taichou has been doing well. A new laboratory was built recently. Soifon-taichou's been kinder to her fukutaichou...Kyoraku-taichou and his fukutaichou got married, too. It was kind of odd, but if they like each other, then that's fine, I guess. And I suppose you have heard by now about Matsumoto and Ichimaru."

"Lots of people getting married," Ichigo chuckled.

He glanced at Hitsugaya, and couldn't help but feel a little nervous as he asked.

"And what about you, Toshiro? Are you married yet? Or maybe engaged?"

"Oh, no," he answered quickly, "No, I'm not. Nothing of the sort." He paused before adding, "Although, I _have_ been proposed to several times by now...but I just don't think I'm ready for something like that quite yet."

"Ah. Me neither. Still single," Ichigo answered with a small smile.

"It's been too long, Kurosaki," Hitsugaya murmured with a soft sigh. "You've been away for too long. You feel...like a different person."

"I know," Ichigo answered.

Wordlessly, he reached for the captain's hand, which was resting on the desktop.

"I've missed you, Toshiro."

"I've missed you too...Kurosaki."

It was quiet before Hitsugaya spoke again.

"You and I," he whispered, "Are from two different worlds now. I'm sorry, Kurosaki, but I can't see us going back to the way we were before. You've changed. I've changed. Now, we're just...too different."

Ichigo smiled.

"We don't have to be."

And then they kissed one more time.

But it would not be the last.


End file.
